Actor Rob Lowe has hailed Betty Ford “a hero” for her dedicated work helping others through her rehab facility. The beloved former First Lady and rehab pioneer battled breast cancer, prescription drug addiction and alcoholism during her life.

She went on to set up the Betty Ford Center in California, which has become a haven for stars battling drink and drug demons, and Lowe has paid tribute to Ford following her death on Friday.

In a post on his Twitter.com page, he writes, “Betty Ford was a hero to the world. A pioneer of self healing, honesty and bravery. She blazed a trail that others, like me, might follow.”

A memorial in honour of Ford is set for Tuesday in California’s Coachella Valley, ahead of a planned private burial on Thursday, according to the Associated Press. Ford will be laid to rest alongside her late husband Gerald Ford, the 38th president of the United States, at the Gerald R. Ford Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan.